Ciao Trattoria — Restaurant in Pasco

Why are more people not talking about this place?!? This absolute gem of a restaurant is the best Italian food in the Tri-Cities.

This small and intimate space maxes out at 50 diners. The kitchen is open to the space, so you can watch the chef at work.

We went on a Tuesday evening and were there right as the doors opened. For the entire hour, we were the only diners in the space. I know Tuesdays are frequently slow, but this restaurant deserves to be full!

We had the lemon chicken spaghetti and the tagliatelle with crispy pancetta and an herbed gorgonzola sauce. Both pastas were cooked perfectly al dente. The creamy lemon sauce was bright and rich, and the chicken breast had a crispy outer cook without being dry. The sauce on the tagliatelle was rich and light, and the gorgonzola was well balanced with the herbs--gorgonzola can be pushy, but this was perfect.

Dinner was accompanied by fresh rolls. Served warm, they had a crisp but not chewy crust, and a delightfully light inside. Portions were a good size. The richness of the food meant that neither of us finished, so we will get two meals out of each entree, but these are definitely NOT the huge portions of an Olive Garden.

For dessert, we had the torta caprese, a flourless chocolate cake. It was good, but for me was the weakest part of the meal. It was more of a milk chocolate than a dark chocolate, so I found it quite sweet, especially when paired with the caramel sauce and dusting of powdered sugar. For me, it needs to be darker chocolate or maybe paired with a raspberry sauce to counter the sweetness.

Menu prices include gratuity, so we had two entrees, a nonalcoholic beverage, and a dessert--and got out at just under $60.

We will...

If you're looking for a truly underwhelming Italian dining experience, look no further than Ciao Trattoria. From the moment we walked in, things started off on the wrong foot. The temperature inside was uncomfortably high, making the dining experience feel more like a sauna than a cozy Italian getaway. We had to get it to go 😞.

We were seated at a wobbly table. They also state that there's a dress code but, people were wearing shorts so we were way overdressed.

As for the food — let's just say the dishes didn’t even come close to living up to the hype. I ordered the chicken, which was a major disappointment. The texture was tough, dry, and flavorless — it felt like something that had been sitting under a heat lamp for far too long. There was no seasoning or moisture to make it enjoyable. It was the kind of chicken you’d expect at a low-end diner, not at a supposedly quality Italian restaurant.

The gnocchi, which I was hoping would redeem the meal, was equally lacklustered. It’s hard to believe such a simple dish could go so wrong, but it did.The bread was good. My husband's Caesar salad was something that came out of a bag 😲. Just the lettuce and Caesar dressing no croutons, no cheese.

On top of all that, We were given warm water with no ice — a minor thing, sure, but at that point, the little things mattered more. We couldn’t help but feel like we were overpaying for a subpar experience.

Total score? Two thumbs down. Avoid this place if you’re craving delicious Italian food or just want a comfortable,...

Ok so I have avoided Italian restaurants for a while, mostly bc of some digestive issues, but I will deal with the pain if it means I can eat their food! Why had I not heard of this place sooner? Literally everything we had was on point, even the basic Caesar salad was amazing, it wasn’t over-dressed and tasted fresh. The Jalapeño Mac, the Flat Bread, Cannaloni Florentine, and everything else we had was amazing. Drinks were great too, I tried the Hugo (never had it before but here I am on my second one), wife had the Limoncello, both were great. I highly recommend everyone come try this place out. Call ahead to reserve a spot as it was busy on their “slow day.” The environment was cozy, we were warmly greeted, and staff/owners were very friendly. Yes, I took a break to write this because I over-stuffed myself (cuz the food is so darn good), but I will be finishing this food. You’ll enjoy this, I’ve been to many “high-end” restaurants around here and in other states, and so far this tops them all. Ok she just brought us our dessert, Watermelon gelato, EFFING AMAZING! Watermelon isn’t my thing but why is...